The Needlepointer News & Events

Early in my stitching life I developed a passion for carnival masks. They captured my imagination along with the sense of mystery and the beauty they inspired in me. Imagine my joy when I found a hand painted carnival mask by Lee. That one mask sent me on a journey to find as many masks to stitch as possible. By the time I was finished I had stitched 6 of them. Each morning as I awake I look around my room and see them all; to this day they give me pleasure and satisfaction. Subsequently I have stitched an array of carousel horses, teapots, and a host of Seattle SeaHawk gewgaws.

Do you have a passion for something, like carnival masks or bunny rabbits, or maybe a sports team? Have you ever seen a photograph, a graphic design or something else and thought “I’d like to stitch that… I wonder if there’s a canvas of it somewhere or I wonder if I could create one?” If you have, do I have an opportunity for you!

On November 3rd and 4th you will have a chance to learn how to create a hand painted canvas from JP Sligh of Labors of Love who has spent 35 years putting his art on canvas. In this 3-hour class you’ll learn how to create a stencil and transfer it to canvas as we create a sunflower design. You’ll work with basic, metallic, and glitter paints as JP imparts his methods, insights, tried and true techniques and secrets that will teach you how to make your own visions bloom. The class includes all the materials required to create the class canvas, and if you wish you can purchase a stitch guide and threads to finish the hand painted sunflower you create in class.

I hope you join me in this class! In the end you’ll have a new appreciation for how stitch painted designs come to life—and you’ll leave with your very own creation. After this class I look forward to seeing what you love to stitch as you create your new design and I will share mine as well! See you in November.

I began my needlepoint journey many years ago in a community education classroom in Southern California. We were provided a blank canvas, a stack of wool thread, a chart and one basic stitch, Continental. At the end of 4 weeks, I had something beautiful I stitched, a passion for this fiber art and an anxiety level significantly reduced. From then until now, I have sought new and different ways to pursue it.

A quantum leap forward happened when I took my first stitching class. It was where I was introduced to a wide array of stitches and a vast array of threads; it was when my art changed dramatically. The world of stitch artists/teachers is vast and varied. There are those who are militaristic and those with soft edges. There are perfectionists and interpreters each bringing a perspective to the canvas you chose, it provides you opportunities to fill the space with interesting variety.

In June, 2014 I attended a class at The Needlepointer with Robin King, what a wonderful fun filled week end it was. Robin has an artist’s eye for the canvas she is interpreting, she sees depth of field and richness of color. Her vast knowledge of the threads and variety of stitches is awesome. The room comes alive as she uses all of these tools to create personalized stitch guides that are colorful, dramatic and interesting. When you sit in Robin’s classroom, you have the opportunity to see her work on a wide variety canvas images as she demonstrates various stiches on your canvas and on the canvas of your neighbor. If you are fortunate enough to work with her one on one you will be the beneficiary of her insight and approach to canvas enhancement. In short you will be provided an opportunity to open another door to your own needlepoint journey; door that broadens your horizons and enhances your joy in the art we all love.

Welcome April! The flowers are definitely blooming here in the Pacific Northwest and we have had a few days in the high 60’s -we love spring here…. just a little bit of heaven! Speaking of heaven…..It’s a TRIPLE TREAT of a month with Patti Mann, J Child and Mary Engelbreit canvases in the house!

Our Fall Stitching Retreat weekend was filled with stitching, chatter, stitching, laughter, more stitching, good eats, and yes, even more stitching! We were joined by 2 new attendees from Texas, 2 from Virginia, 2 from Oregon, 1 from Missouri, Minnesota and many from around the greater Seattle area. The stitchers we treated to two skeins of the new Silken Straw for needlepoint. They had 18 colors to choose from, many just kept adding to their stash. I also had several other treasures to give my stitchers, a beautiful wood inlay-ed box, perfect for storing their new platinum needles. The weekend was filled with lots of good times and new friendships made. I am already making plans for the Winter retreat scheduled for February 6 weekend. As an incentive for you to make your plans early, any person that registers prior to November 15, will be eligible for a drawing to receive 50% off their registration fee! I wanted you all to know first (I did post of the Pacific Northwest Needlepoint Retreat FB page last night), prior to sending out a mass email. Feel free to share this with anyone who you think may be interested in joining. Remember, there are limited seats and I would hate for anyone to miss out.

I captured this photo of part of the group discussing beautiful fibers pulled for the Turkey by Warren Kimble.

We have the opportunity to greet stitchers from all over. Today, we had a delightful couple from Abbotsford, BC drop in who are visiting Washington State and learned about our shop from a few fellow campers where they were staying. The husband was a true gem and so supportive of his wife’s hobby. He also has a big heart, he drives sick children from BC to the Shriner’s hospital in Seattle. I loved his picture that’s on his personal card and just wanted to say ‘thanks for stopping in’!

Everyday I have the pleasure of pulling beautiful threads for a customer to stitch and create on her canvas. Today was no exception…..Jeanine M. was in with her Kathryn Molineux Koi Pond canvas. The new Silken Straw caught her eye and we were off creating the magic of her fiber palette. Jeanine is combining lots of Silken Straw with Vineyard Silks, Silk and Ivory and Neon Rays. Voila! Can’t wait to see the updates!

Welcome to our new on-line home! We have more images, social media interaction with FaceBook and our own Pinterest boards. Our new site basically functions like the old site with the ease of discovery and ordering, but we will have more capabilities to share with you through our blog and social media. We have been focusing on bringing you exclusive Monthly Clubs that we know you will want to be a part of! Here at The Needlepointer there is typically something new to share with you every day and with this blog, it gives us the opportunity to get the excitement to you quickly. I look forward to our conversations and sharing my days with you!

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Enrolling in a club is a great way to ensure you always have a special small project to work on—and it’s an easy way to try new stitches, fibers, and artists. SHOP CLUBS

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Available in any denomination that you want to give! Gift Certificates are a great way to celebrate a birthday, holiday gift-giving or saying Thank You. Any stitcher would be THRILLED to get a Gift Certificate to The Needlepointer!